


How I Learned to Start Caring and Love the Earth

by CrimsonServbot



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Comedy, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 10:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3807754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimsonServbot/pseuds/CrimsonServbot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exiled from Homeworld and left with nothing, Peridot turns herself in to the Crystal Gems.</p>
<p>Steven thinks Peridot can be their "Sixth Ranger".</p>
<p>This is going to be a long exile.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How I Learned to Start Caring and Love the Earth

Twas a particularly normal day for the Crystal Gems. Go out, find an artifact, beat a Monster to a pulp, bubble it, and head back to the temple.

Just a normal, average day.

_Too_ normal in fact. At least by Pearl's logic.

"Name one day we've had in the past week where something horrible or unexpected didn’t happen!" Pearl yelled, still trying to get Garnet and Amethyst to see her completely _justified point._

"Alright, you've got a point there." Said Garnet after thinking about it for a moment.

Amethyst ran up to nudge Pearl with her elbow. "Ah quit worryin', Pearl. We've been overdue for a calm day for a while now, Just enjoy it."

Pearl sighed. Amethyst was right. For once.

With a flash, the Crystal Gems had returned to the temple.

Pearl took a moment to listen and look around. Nothing was on fire, Steven wasn't screaming for help, Peridot was laying down on their sofa, No Monsters had escaped their bu-

_Peridot was laying down on their sofa._

_"Amethyst was wrong! All is right with the universe. Well except for thAT OH NO STEVEN!"_ Pearl thought, and panicked, to herself.

The three Gems jumped to action immediately upon realizing that their sworn enemy was in their house.

Peridot lifted her head up lazily and took a look at the angry warriors.

"Fantastic, you're finally here. Would you mind putting me out of my misery?"

Well that was certainly not the reaction they were expecting. Running away, Screaming in terror, Maybe even an attempt at fighting, Anything but actually requesting they destroy her.

The confusion of the situation gave them a moment to actually look and Peridot. The Homeworld Gem looked like she had gone a few rounds with a tree and lost. She had twigs and leaves stuck in her hair, She was scuffed up and completely filthy, and the clothes she wore were torn in a few places. Needless to say, she looked horrible.

Amethyst said it anyway.

"Dang, It looks like you got started on that for us."

"Amethyst! Don’t be rude to... the Gem who tried to... take us back to homeworld to pay for war crimes." Pearl said, trailing off.

It was right then that Steven had walked in from outside. Steven, seeing that the Crystal Gems had returned, immediately put himself between Peridot and his friends.

"Hold it! Now before anyone hurts anybody, I can explain what’s going on here."

"Steven, she kidnapped us to presumably be executed!"

"She also fired that huge laser at you." said Amethyst

"To be fair, I was actually aiming at you three." Peridot chimed in

"Guys" Began Garnet, silencing everyone. "Let Steven talk."

"Thanks, Garnet. Now it all started when I was playing Ultimate Reverie VIII..."

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_"Whaaat?_ How do you just forget something like that!" yelled Steven. He had gotten to the part of the game where all the characters found out that the main bad guy was that really cool older kid they hung out with when they were little. And they just forgot, I mean how do you forget that! He had the same name and-

_"Steven, the story." Garnet interrupted_

_"Oh right, sorry."_

Suddenly, a loud sort of clunking noise could be heard from outside. He ran out and opened the door to see Peridot coming up the steps.

Steven did the only sensible thing he could think of.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH" Steven slammed the door and ran to try and find Lion. After running through the beach house for a moment he realized Peridot wasn’t trying to destroy him or kidnap him. In fact, she wasn’t doing anything at all. He went back to the front door and looked out the window to see she was just laying there.

"Uhh. Hey Peridot."

Peridot turned her head slightly to look at Steven. 

"Oh. Hello Steven. Or Rose Quartz. Or Whatever."

"It's Steven. Rose Quartz was my mom."

There was an awkward pause.

"Um. What are you doing on my doorstep?"

Peridot let out a long sigh.

"Waiting for the Crystal Gems to come back so they can finish me off."

Well that certainly wasn’t the answer he was expecting.

"Why?"

"Because I’m a failure and a disgrace to Gem kind."

"Hey now, that's not true! You did really well at kidnapping me and... shooting lasers?" Steven said, trailing off on the last bit there. It was hard to try comfort your enemies.

"I appreciate the effort, but Jasper did that first thing and if I recall correctly, _you_ blocked the first shot completely."

"Oh yeah, I did... Well uh. Do you wanna come inside and talk about what’s got you so down?" Steven offered. He didn’t know why he was being so nice to somebody who tried to squish him once. Maybe it was because she looked like a kicked puppy. Darn it, he was Steven Quartz Universe, and he would not allow a puppy to remain kicked and sad!

Peridot let out another sigh.

"Ya know what? Sure. Something to do before I embrace eternity."

Steven led the Gem inside to the sofa where they sat down. Peridot looked around the house for a moment deciding to stare at the floor.

"Sooo, do you wanna go ahead and-"

"They told me not to come back."

"Who told you what now?"

"My superiors. They told me I had failed. Said I was a disgrace and that the entire project was canceled."

Steven gasped. They canceled the project? Just like that?

"Why would they just do that?"

"Yellow Diamond doesn’t tolerate failure."

"Oh." Steven stared at the ground. He was glad that Earth wasn’t in danger anymore, for the moment anyway, but he felt quite bad for Peridot. He thought she did a great job at trying to reactive the kindergarten (He also couldn’t believe he was thinking that). It just wasn’t fair.

"Well if you don't mind, i'm just gonna. Lie here until the Trai-... Crystal Gems get back." Said Peridot, breaking the silence.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"And then after a bit you came back, And then you guys freaked out, And Peridot kept on being a Negative Nancy, And then I told my story-"

"We get it, Steven. Thank you." Said Pearl, interrupting him.

"Your story made Peridot kinda sympathetic." Said Amethyst. "I hate it."

Peridot finally sat up just as Steven finished his story.

"So if we could get to the part where you powderize me."

Steven turned around to look at Peridot.

"Oh no, we're not doing that. Theres a much better solution than... that."

"Steven, My whole life was tech work for Homeworld. Now that I don’t have that, I have _nothing_."

"Now now, maybe you could..." Steven thought for a moment before suddenly perking up monumentally.

"YOU COULD BE OUR SIXTH RANGER!"

All the other Gems stared at him.

"What?" asked Pearl, confused.

"You know, Like Ultra Rangers! Usually there’s an evil Ranger, but they eventually become a good guy and join the Ultra Rangers!"

Realization hit all the Gems like a ton of bricks.

"STEVEN YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!"

"Why would you want that corn chip on our team?!"

"I tried to kill you!"

"It could work."

Now it was Garnet's turn to be stared at.

"WHAT!?" Everyone, minus Steven, yelled.

"She no longer has any ties to Homeworld. Plus we could use the extra Gem power around here."

"Well what if shes just lying to try and betray us?" Pearl asked, worried.

"If she does-"

Garnet summoned her gauntlets and pounded her fist into her hand, causing a small shockwave to sound through the beach house.

"I'll make her _wish_ we had shattered her."

"Um. Do _I_ get a say in any of this?" Asked Peridot fearfully.

Garnet shrugged.

"We're also taking you prisoner because of the whole 'trying to kill us' thing so, no not really."

"Oh. _Joy_." Peridot said, not even trying to mask the dread she felt.

Steven on the other hand was ecstatic.

"Oh man, this is gonna be so cool! I can show you Earth stuff, And you can tell me about Homeworld, Ohmygosh we need to get you cleaned up! We also need to design a new uniform for you and find you somewhere to stay and keep whatever stuff you get and-"

As Steven babbled on, Peridot looked towards Pearl and Amethyst pleadingly.

"Yeaaaah, I got a... pile of junk that needs to be... sorted soo, buh-bye." Said Amethyst, running off right after.

"And I need to uh. Help with that." Pearl said, before running off after Amethyst.

Peridot sighed and buried her face in her hands.

"This. This is my life now."

Garnet walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Eh, you get used to it."

**Author's Note:**

> First fic on this website WOOOO!
> 
> You might be wondering, What was the first website?
> 
> You don't need or want to know.
> 
> Gimme dem constructive criticisms and those lovely comments if you can be bothered.


End file.
